RESUMO
Jambolan (Syzygium cumini L.) is an underutilized fruit rich in bioactive phenolic compounds, specially anthocyanins, but the low stability of these substances and interaction with other compounds in the food matrix limit their application as food additives; nanoencapsulation is the best strategy to overcome these limitations. This study aimed to nanoencapsulate a phenolic-rich jambolan extract using whey proteins and pectin by nanoprecipitation in different antisolvent compositions. Two formulations were synthesized (7.33 % extract, 1.67 % pectin, and 5 % concentrated or isolated whey protein) precipitated in different acetone concentrations (50, 70, and 100 % v/v). SEM showed particles with spherical shape and smooth surface. DLS pointed diameters between 82 nm and 116 nm. FTIR indicated chemical interactions between the materials. Encapsulation efficiency showed high phenolic compounds entrapment in all systems [73.81-84.65 %, p > 0.05]. However, particles precipitated in 50 and 100 % acetone (v/v) showed greater anthocyanins retention [56.89-35.24 %, p < 0.05]. Nanoencapsulation potentiated the antioxidant activity up to 110 % more than the crude extract (p < 0.05). These results show the potential of nanoprecipitation as an effective encapsulation process and the biopolymers combination to produce nanoparticles containing jambolan phenolic compounds to promote their application in foods and health products.
RESUMO
Fresh vegetables have high water content and low acidity, so drying can extend shelf life, allowing the obtaining of alternative flours for the development of new products. The study aimed to investigate the influence of the melon harvest and off-season on the chemical composition of melon (Cantaloupe, Charentais e Honey Dew) flours and the potential application in products. The flours were evaluated for granulometry, morphology, centesimal composition, lipid and mineral content, total phenolic compound (TPC), antioxidant activity, and technological properties. Cakes containing melon flour were produced to replace wheat flour (0, 25, and 50 %) and evaluated for proximate composition, microbiology, and sensory parameters. Flours were classified as fine-grained (MESH >16), except Charentais off-season (medium - MESH 8-16, and fine-grained - MESH >16), and all presented a rough surface and minimal cell wall ruptures. The harvest homogeneously influenced the humidity, as all the off-season flours showed higher levels [17-22 %] (p < 0.05) due to weather conditions. For TPC, Cantaloupe melon flours from the harvest (CFH) [208 mg/100 g] and off-season [877 mg/100 g] stood out (p < 0.05), and the latter showed greater antioxidant potential [328 µmol TE/g]. Palmitic, linoleic, and linolenic acid stood out in all flours, and potassium for minerals (63-78 %) in the harvest and off-season. The harvest and off-season specifically influenced the flour of each variety in swelling power, water solubility, oil absorption, and emulsifying capacity. For cakes with CFH, no thermotolerant coliforms and Escherichia coli were detected, and the mesophilic count was <1.0 CFU/g. The ash, protein, lipid, and fiber contents increased proportionally to melon flour addition (p < 0.05). Sensory acceptance was high for cakes containing 25 and 50 % of CFH [82.78 % and 82.53 %], and most consumers would likely buy the products (4.04 and 3.99) (p < 0.05). The study contributed to knowledge about the seasonality effect and demonstrated the potential use of melon flour in developing new products.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is an aggregation of risk factors associated with increased incidence of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and all-cause mortality. Information on MetS prevalence is scarce in the northeast region, Brazil. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of MetS according to different diagnostic criteria in a community sample of men during the November Blue Campaign living in the metropolitan area of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study on 500 men aged 40 years or older invited by the Blue November Campaign of 2015, an awareness program aimed at the prevention of male diseases. The evaluation included blood pressure, anthropometric measurements (weight, height, and waist circumference), fasting blood glucose, and blood lipid profile. The diagnosis of MetS was made according to the criteria of International Diabetes Federation (IDF)/American Heart Association (AHA)/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), IDF, and National Cholesterol Education Program's Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATPIII). RESULTS: The prevalence was high by considering the following three criteria: IDF/AHA/NHLBI (66.8%), IDF (60.0%), and NCEP-ATPIII (46.4%). Concordance between diagnostic criteria measured by the kappa statistic (k) was excellent between IDF/AHA/NHLBI and IDF (k=0.85, P<0.0001) and moderate between IDF/AHA/NHLBI and NCEP-ATPIII (k=0.59) and IDF and NCEP-ATPIII (k=0.54). CONCLUSION: Prevalence of MetS in the male population was high using the three diagnostic criteria. IDF/AHA/NHLBI and IDF criteria have a high level of agreement, but NCEP-ATPIII criteria identify a lower number of MetS cases.
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Chagas disease is an endemic parasitic infection that occurs in 21 Latin American countries. New therapies for this disease are urgently needed, as the only two drugs available (nifurtimox and benznidazol) have high toxicity and variable efficacy in the disease's chronic phase. Recently, a new chemical entity (NCE) named Pyranaphthoquinone (IVS320) was synthesized from lawsone. We report herein, a detailed study of the physicochemical properties and in vitro trypanocidal activity of IVS320. A series of assays were performed for characterization, where thermal, diffractometric, and morphological analysis were performed. In addition, the solubility, permeability, and hygroscopicity of IVS320 were determined. The results show that its poor solubility and low permeability may be due to its high degree of crystallinity (99.19%), which might require the use of proper techniques to increase the IVS320's aqueous solubility and permeability. The trypanocidal activity study demonstrated that IVS320 is more potent than the reference drug benznidazole, with IC50/24 h of 1.49 ± 0.1 µM, which indicates that IVS320 has potential as a new drug candidate for the treatment of Chagas disease.
Assuntos
Doença de Chagas/tratamento farmacológico , Naftoquinonas/química , Tripanossomicidas/química , Trypanosoma/efeitos dos fármacos , Sítios de Ligação , Humanos , Modelos Moleculares , Estrutura Molecular , Naftoquinonas/farmacologia , Permeabilidade , Ligação Proteica , Solubilidade , Tripanossomicidas/farmacologiaRESUMO
Guanylhydrazones are molecules with great pharmacological potential in various therapeutic areas, including antitumoral activity. Factorial design is an excellent tool in the optimization of a chromatographic method, because it is possible quickly change factors such as temperature, mobile phase composition, mobile phase pH, column length, among others to establish the optimal conditions of analysis. The aim of the present work was to develop and validate a HPLC and UHPLC methods for the simultaneous determination of guanylhydrazones with anticancer activity employing experimental design. Precise, exact, linear and robust HPLC and UHPLC methods were developed and validated for the simultaneous quantification of the guanylhydrazones LQM10, LQM14, and LQM17. The UHPLC method was more economic, with a four times less solvent consumption, and 20 times less injection volume, what allowed better column performance. Comparing the empirical approach employed in the HPLC method development to the DoE approach employed in the UHPLC method development, we can conclude that the factorial design made the method development faster, more practical and rational. This resulted in methods that can be employed in the analysis, evaluation and quality control of these new synthetic guanylhydrazones.